Tobacco-booking table



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, (NbMqd'l-g H. ZWIGKE R."

TOBAGUO BOOKING TABLE.

' 'No: 513,605 Patented Jan. 30, 1894.

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lhvirnn STATES T Enron.

HENRY ZWIOKER, on STOUGl-ITON, WISCONSIN.

TOBACCO-BOOKING TABLE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 513,605, dated January30, 1894.

Application filed July 21,1892. Serial No. 440,828. (NomodeL) bookingtobacco may be accomplished with case, rapidity, and safety; moreover,to adapt my improvement whereby it may be employed for booking varioussizes and quantities of tobacco without risk of marring or injuring thesame.

This invention is in the nature of an improvement upon my concurrentapplication for similar subject-matter, Serial No. 431,923, filed on the5th day of May, 1892.

For the attainment of these objects, and for other purposes hereinafterenumerated, my invention comprises, in brief, a certain organization ofparts, and detailsof structure, all of which will be more fullydescribed hereinafter.

The novelty of myinvention resides in certain featuresembraced in theappended claims which are intended to accord in their scope and meaningwith the prior state of the art and the existing law.

In theaccompanyingdrawingslhave shown a certain arrangement of parts anddevices which I deem adequate for successfully carrying out my inventionin practice; however, I wish to here state and distinctly emphasize thatI do not confine myself to the exact features and details ofconstruction shown, since it is manifest that numerous changes as toform, proportion, and minor details of structure, may be made without inthe least deviating from the spirit and scope of the invention asdefined by the claims.

Referring to the said drawings forming a part of thisspecificatiOnz-Figure 1 is a front elevation of a machine embodying myimprovements, the front upright or standard being detached to disclosethe arrangement and disposition of the counter-weights behind the same.In this View the clamping rollers are shown in full lines in oneposition and in dotted lines in a different position. Fig. 2 is a rearelevation of Fig. 1, showing the adjusting holes for the clampingrollers, located in an arc of a circle in the back-plate of the machine.Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail view in perspective of one of the clampingrollers, and auxiliary devices for setting and adjusting the same. 'Fig.4 is a transverse vertical section taken on the plane indicated by theline z-z in Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a top plan view of Fig. 1. Fig. 6 is ahorizontal section taken on the plane indicated by the line a::r in Fig.1; and Fig. 7 is a similar view on the line y-y of Fig.1.

In all the views of the drawings, like numerals of reference indicatelike or corre- .sponding parts. a

In carrying out my invention, I provide a framework of suitable shape,size, and configuration to support and accommodate the incumbent andoperating parts of the machine. In this particular instance, theframework comprises a rectangular base-plate, 1; the uprights orstandards, 2, rising vertically from the base-plate and spaced aprescribed distance apart to form back and front standards; and theback-plate, 3, supported on top of and secured to the back standard, 2,in any suitable manner. Ata certain distance above the base-plate thestandards 2 are tied and braced by the horizontal cross-brace, 4,which,in turn,holds the lower end of the short standard, 5, placedintermediate of the two standards, 2, and terminating at its upperextremity approximately in the same horizontal plane as the front andback standards.

The operating table comprises twin leaves or sections, 6, eachconsisting of a rigid rectangular plate of requisite area and thickness.These twin sections are hinged together at their adjacent or meetingedges in a peculiar manner, as will noW be explained:'The table hingeconsists of four members, 7, two for each section. Each member comprisesacircular boss or collar, 8, and a laterally extending wing, 9, formedintegral with said collar, and as shown in Fig. l, is in the form of awebbed rib projecting under and supporting the particular leaf orsection to which it is secured. Thus, for each table section there aretwo separate members, 7, of the hinge severally attached to the underside of said section in position to support the same and spaced apart acertain distance. The circular collar or boss, 8, of each member iscentrally and longitudinally pierced by an axial bore to receive thehinge-rod or pintle, 10, which supports all four members, 7. As shownclearly in Figs. 5 and 7, the hingemembers are alternately lapped anddisposed upon the hinge-rod, that is, the two members forming a pair forone table leaf or section have their two collars, 8, separated by anintervening member of the opposite pair for the other table leaf orsection. The hinge-rod is passed through the coincident axial bores ofall four members in order to form a hinge-support for the same, and, inturn, is supported at its front and back ends, respectively by the frontand back standards, 2. Centrally the hinge-rod is supported by the shortstandard, 5, and is rendered detachable by being provided with ascrew-head, 11, and with a screwthreaded rear extremity, 12, whereby itmay be readily unscrewed from its fixed position in the standards. Asshown in Fig. 7, the four collars 8 are placed in juxtapositionthroughout the length of the hinge-rod in such manner that they arepermitted independent movement, yet are not separated sufficiently toexpose the rod or to permit any space or crevice to exist between anytwo collars. Such compact arrangement and close association of thehinge-members is facilitated by having the upper end of the shortstandard, 5, divide the collars 8 centrally, leaving two on each sidethereof. As shown in Fig. 7, the two collars which are adjacent to thecentral standard 5, belong to different table sections or leaves, andeach one of these two collars is provided exteriorly with an annularchannel or groove, 13, located centrally of the periphery of said collarand running clear around the same. Each one of these grooves orchannels, 13, is designed to receive a strap or other flexibleconnection which holds a suitable counter-weight. In one instance,the'upper terminal of one strap, 14, is riveted or otherwise secured inthe channel or groove, 13, of one collar 8, at a point on the same sidewhere the table section or leaf is attached to the hinge-member of thatparticular collar, whereas in the other instance the other strap issimilarly secured to the other collar in the groove or channel on theopposite side where the other table leaf or section is secured to thehinge-member of that particular collar. Thus, it will be understood thatthe two straps severally attached to the two grooved collars pass overtheir respective collars in opposite directions and depend on oppositesides of the hingerod.

To the lower end of each strap 14 is secured a weight 15 tending byreason of the arrangement of its strap and the gravitating tendency ofthe weight to swing the particular leaf or section which it controls inan upward direction. Thus, if there were no limiting agency to prevent,the weights would serve to swing the two table leaves up until they metin the same vertical plane as that occupied by the hinge-rod.

The upper surface of each table leaf or section is covered by acovering, 16, preferably celluloid, which forms a smooth surface for thetobacco deposited thereon.

As a means for clamping all sizes and lengths of tobacco irrespective ofthe positions of the table sections, I provide the clamping rollersshown clearly in Fig. 3, and also shown in Figs. 1, 4, and 5. There aretwo clamping rollers and adjusting devices for each, one on each sidefor each table section-or leaf. 1? is a suitable solid roller rotatablymounted on the shaft, 18, which, in turn, is secured at its rear end tothe crank-arm 19. opposite end of the arm 19 is provided withcatch-pawl, 20, adapted to engage the peripheral notches, 21, of thedisk, 22, in such manner that the roller may be set in any degree of acircle. The upper end of the arm 19 is detachably and adjustably fixedto the retaining bolt, 23, by means of the clamping nut, 24, fitted tothe inner end of said bolt which passes through an orifice in the arm19. This bolt, 23, is squared in its body portion to fit the series ofsquare adjusting holes, 25, arranged in an arc of a circle across thewhole width of the back-plate; and such bolt is detachably secured inany of said holes by the clamping nut 26 on the rear end of same. Bymeans of this construction the clamping roller on each side can beset atany angle to coincide with the angle of deflection of the table, or canbe adjusted to contact with any part of the upper surface of a leaf orsection.

Directly above the operating table, and within convenient reach of theoperator is a shelf, 27, having a convex sloping bottom, 28, and sides,29. This shelf is designed to form a convenient receptacle for unbookedtobacco, the sponge and sponge-cup, &o.

In operation, the clamping rollers are used to clamp and hold thedifierent lengths and sizes of tobacco as they are booked upon thetable, and the weights attached to the straps serve as counter-Weightsto keep the hinged sections up against said rollers. This is animportant advantage of my improvement inasmuch as tobacco being verytender and requiring skillful manipulation to prevent tearing the same,the weights will gradually and uniformly yield as the weight increasesupon the operating table and the sections descend. If springs weresubstituted to fulfill the functions of the weights and straps, theirresistance would gradually increase as they were compressed, whichincreased resistance would subject the tobacco to greater friction, andconsequently, would increase the danger of tearing it. Therefore, Idesire it to be here understood that I do not regard a spring or springsin any wise the equivalent of myweight or weights.

The upper or Owing to my peculiar setting and adjusting devices for theclamping rollers, I can adjust the same to any length of tobacco or toany thickness of the same on the booking table. The arrangement of theadjusting holes in the back-plate in an arc of a circle clear across thewhole width of the same enables the roller and attached parts to bemoved over the surface of the table in any desired position toaccommodate any length of tobacco, and on the other hand, by means ofthe disk and catch-pawl together with the crank arm connection of theroller, the clamping roller can be adjusted to suit any thickness of thebook upon the table or to meet any angle of deflection of the leaves orsections. By changing the position of the roller one notch sometimessuffices for the variation from one size shorter to longer leaves orvice versa.

Another important advantage of this invention is' the peculiar manner ofhin gin g the table sections together so that no cavity or openingbetween the hinged edges of the same is made. The hinge-members beingclosely associated and being round, no crease can be made in thetobacco, nor can any obstruction occur whereby the tobacco mightbecome'torn. This form of hinge, taken in conjunction-with the uniformresistance of the counterweights, provides a construction whereby theoperation of booking tobacco can be conducted with ease and safety.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a tobacco booking table, the combination, with the operating tablecomprising hinged leaves or sections; of suitable connections severallyattached at their upper extremities to said leaves or sections andcarrying suitable weights on their lower depending ends; a suitablesupport over which the said connections pass and move, the said supportbeing located on the machine intermediate of the table sections orleaves and the weights as set forth.

2. In atobacco booking table, the combination, with the operating tablecomprising leaves or sections hinged together at their meeting edges; ofstraps attached severally at their upper ends to the hinges of saidleaves or sections, passing over said hinges, and depending in oppositedirections therefrom; and gravitating weights severally carried by thelower ends of said straps.

3. In a tobacco booking table, the combination, with twin leaves orsections forming an operating table;of adjustable clamping rollersadapted to hold the table leaves or sections against upward movement;straps severally attached at their upper ends to thesaid leaves orsections and at theirlower ends severally carrying suitable weights; anda suitable support located on the machine intermediate of the weightsand the said leaves or sections, and designed to act as a bearing forthe straps passing over the same. 7

4. In a tobacco booking table, the combination, with hinged leaves orsections forming an operating table; of clamping rollers severallymounted and transversely adjustable and interchangeable in a supportformed by a portion of the frame projecting above and over the operatingtable, each roller being movable in a circle about a temporarily fixedsupport; the support and pawl and ratchet mechanism for setting each ofsaid rollers in different relative positions within said circle.

5. In a tobacco booking table, the combination, with the table leaves orsections; of a hinge connecting the meeting edges of said leaves orsections, said hinge comprising a plurality of members rotatably mountedupon a hinge-rod and closely associated thereupon in such manner that noappreciable opening intervenes between the parts encircling saidhinge-rod, and each hinge-member constituting an integral or componentpart of a table leaf or section; and means for operating the said leavesor sections.

6. In a tobacco booking machine, the combination, with the operatingtable comprising hinged sections; of clamping rollers severally for saidsections; a crank-arm for each roller; a catch-pawl for each crank-arm;a notched disk for the catch-pawl; and a support for the disk andcrank-arm formed by or fitted upon the framework of the machine.

7. In a tobacco booking machine, the combination, with the hinged tablesections; of clamping-rollers; severally for said sections, detachablyand adjustably fitted in holes in the back-plate of the machine; and thebackplate provided with a series of holes for the clamping rollers, saidholes being arranged in an arc of a circle and extending across thewhole width of the back-plate.

8. In a tobacco booking table, the combination of the booking tablecomprising two hinged leaves or sections; the framework comprisingvertical standards supporting the booking table, and a back-platelocated behind and above the booking table; and ashelf or receptacleformed upon and carried on the top of the backplate in operative andaccessible position to the booking table.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

HENRY ZWICKER.

WVitnesses: 1

BEN. E. WAIT, A. T. TORGERSON.

